MaineHealth Update on Searsmont Patients

PORTLAND, Maine - MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland continues to treat eight patients who were injured in the Searsmont incident. 

Two patients who were taken to the hospital on Friday, May 15, were treated and transferred.

No further updates are planned for this evening, but updates will be provided on Sunday as they become available. Patient privacy laws limit what can be shared at this time, and we would defer to law enforcement and other officials involved in the investigation for any additional information.

BREAKING: Area Departments Responding To Fire & Possible Explosion at Searsmont Lumber Mill

Update: 4:04pm: Officials say at least 10 people, including firefighters, have been injured after an explosion and massive fire at a lumber mill in Searsmont. The Thorndike Fire Department says multiple fire trucks have also been destroyed.

According to WGME, the fire started in the wood shavings area where they are packaged in plastic bags than extended to a silo which caused a explosion.

Update 12:15pm: Statement from Rep. Chellie Pingree; My heart is with the Searsmont community as officials respond to a reported mass casualty incident at Robbins Lumber.

Details are still limited. Please follow updates from local authorities, avoid the area, and keep those impacted and the first responders in your thoughts.

Update: At least 7 people have been transported to area hospitals in critical condition. One of the people have been transported by LifeFlight.

BREAKING: Searsmont, Maine - We're getting word that multiple area departments are responding to fire and possible explosion at Searsmont lumber mill Robbins Lumber on Friday, May 15th, 2026 in Searsmont, Maine.

Fire departments from the region have responded to the scene including Knox departments Rockport, Camden, Rockland and Thomaston.

Multiple injuries reported.

Fire marshal units have been called to scene.

Stay with us for further updates.

A 21st Century Modern Sawmill - Robbins Lumber in Searsmont

Searsmont, Maine - Join the Georges River Land Trust for a tour of the Robbins Lumber Company mill in Searsmont, one of the most modern sawmills in the United States on Thursday, November 1, at 3:00 PM. Tickets to the event benefit the Georges River Land Trust and are $30 for Land Trust members and $35 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased in advance either on-line at www.grlt.org/revelryevents.html or by calling (207) 594-5166.

Founded in 1881, today the fifth generation of the Robbins family owns and operates this state-of-the-art sawmill. In 2011, Robbins Lumber received the Maine Department of Conservation Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award, recognition for landowners and individuals who are outstanding examples of managing working forests in Maine in an exemplary and sustainable way.

Tour attendees will be guided through the comprehensive and intricate systems—from tree to transport—of the Robbins Lumber Company sawmill. The tree yard sits on a 40-acre site on the St. George River. Sawing eastern white pine logs from all over Maine, the mill makes grading decisions aided by lasers and computers. The lumber is also trimmed and sorted by computers.

The operation includes a 1.2 MW cogeneration plant and 675,000 board foot kilns—all of which will be visited on the tour led by owner Jim Robbins.  The mill wastes none of the wood, using the smaller pieces for molding, dowels, and toys. Sawdust is packaged and sold for livestock bedding, and wood waste fires the boilers that provide heat to dry the lumber and electricity to run the mill.

After the tour, Jim and his wife Ann will entertain guests at their nearby home with appetizers, beverages, and stories of the history of their family in the St. George River watershed which dates back to the first settlers.

Georges River Land Trust is committed to encouraging citizens to discover the river and care for the land throughout the 14 communities in the St. George River watershed. This event is part of Revelry for the River, a celebration of 25 years of conservation. For further information on the Georges River Land Trust, its programs and upcoming events visit www.grlt.org or contact them at info@grlt.org or (207) 594-5166.


Photo credit: Georges River Land Trust
Photo caption: The state-of-the-art Robbins Lumber sawmill grades, trims and sorts wood by computer.

Hike the Canal Path

Searsmont, Maine - Want to learn more about the history of the canals along the St. George River in Searsmont?  Join Georges River Land Trust (GRLT) on Saturday, October 6, 9:30 – 11 am for a guided walk on the Canal path. David Getchell Sr., a volunteer with GRLT, will lead the walk and will share the newest discoveries of this section of canal, uncovering another piece of the mystery. Suitable for children and families. Bring snack and water and meet at the Canal Path in Searsmont. From Fraternity Village Store in Searsmont, head south on Route 131 for 1.7 miles to Ghent Road on the left. Travel 0.25 miles on Ghent Road to the parking lot on the right just after crossing the bridge.

The 11Ž2-mile Canal Path in Searsmont is GRLT’s first interpretive trail section of the Georges Highland Path. The walk follows along the St. George River south from Ghent Road and features informative displays about the historic Georges River Canal, parts of which are still in evidence. The trail also offers a self-guided tour that details the sustainable forestry management practices of Robbins Lumber, the landowners who host the trail.

This event is part of the Land Trust’s Walks & Talks series, events designed to introduce the community to the resources available to them in the St. George River watershed. Upcoming highlights include a talk about the resurgence of the wild turkey in Maine on November 8th at the Rockland Public Library. For more information visit www.grlt.org, call 594-5166, or email info@grlt.org.